Fence-stretcher



C. F. SCHUMAKER.

FENCE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23, 1920.

1,389,994. Patentedsept- 6, 1921.

WM ZJZ r Y ATTORNEY UNITED STATES CHARLES F. SCHUMAKER, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FENCE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

Application filed October 23, 1920. Serial No. 419,031.

T all whom it may concern:

souri, have invented new and useful Improvements in F ence-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 7

This invention is a fence stretcher, for stretching and tightening loose fences or for putting up new fencing.

The object is to provide a simple, efficient and durable tool for this purpose, which will stand up under heavy use and not readily get out of order.

Inthe drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the tool positioned as in use;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation;

Fig. .4: is a detail of the two ratchet stretcher bars;

Fig. 5 is a detail of the operating lever bar.

The invention consists of an oblong rectangular frame 1, made up of a solid base 2 and spaced and parallel side rails 3 elevated above the edges of the base, by means of the end blocks 4, sufliciently to accommodate the removable fulcrum pins 5. Holes 6 are cut through the side rails 3 and alined sockets 7 are sunk in the base 2, and the pins 5 are loosely mounted in place through the holes 6 and into the sockets 7, at either side of the base 2, as may be desired, and depending on whether it were wished to operate the apparatus from one side or the other. Two or more stretcher bars 8 are provided, each having a plurality of ratchet teeth 9 cut'along their upper edges and having a deep notch 10 cut in the forward end and a link 11 pivotally mounted in the rear end. Thus these links are adapted to be successively and detachably joined by hooking the notch 10 into the link 11. An aperture or slot 12 is cut through the rear end block, adapted to slidingly pass the stretcher bars 8, and a pawl or dog 13 is pivoted to the inside face of the said end block and adapted to fall into engagement with the series of ratchet teeth 9, successively as the stretcher bars are drawn inwardly along the base 2, and so lock the stretcher bars against retrograde movement.

An operating lever 14 is provided with a notch 15 at its forward end adapted to engage the scries of fulcrum pins 5, one at a time; and a link 16 is pivotally connected with the lever 1d at a point spaced back from the notch 15, said link being adapted to engage the notches 10 in the forward ends of the stretcher bars 8. The ends of the device have clevises 17 and chains 18 to engage the fence 19 at one end and the post 20 at the other.

In use, the pins 5 are used as fulcrums for the lever 14:; and the stretcher bars are gradually pulled inwardly along the base 2. The dog 13 prevents backward movement of said bars, and the notch 15 of the lever 14 is positioned on successively forward pins as fulcrums as the operation of stretching fence is proceeded with. When all of the ratchet teeth 9 of the forward stretcher bar have been drawn inside the frame, and after the dog 13 locks behind the first tooth of the second bar, then the forward bar may be removed and the lever connected directly to said second bar, and the work proceeded with. If it is expedient to operate the lever from the opposite side of the frame 1, the pins 5 are withdrawn from the side on which they may be, and are positioned upon the opposite side of the frame.

lVhile I have herein described a certain specific manner and method of constructing and assembling the elements of my invention, it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor details, not departing from the spirit of my invention, so as best to construct a practical device for the purpose intended, asdefined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fence stretcher, comprising a frame; a row of fulcrum pins in the frame; a lever adapted to successively engage the pins as a lever fulcrum; a ratchet toothed stretcher bar adapted to travel through the frame; a pawl for locking said bar against retrograde movement; and means at one end of the stretcher bar for engaging the fence and at the other end of the bar for engaging the lever.

2. A fence stretcher, comprising a frame; a plurality of fulcrum pins adapted to be positioned in a row at either side of the frame; a lever adapted to successively enthe gage the pins as a lever fulcrum; two ratchet and at the other end of the frame for engagtoothed stretcher bars adapted to travel mg the post. r

through the frame; means for releasably C F SOHUMAKER connecting said bars end to end and to said lever; a dog for locking said bars against Witnesses: retrograde movement; and means at the A. K. DOHLE, outer end of the bar for engaging the fence, M. BULTAS. 

